Life Goes On
by Chris4Short
Summary: S/D centric. AU Apocalyptic fic. What if the Ori did overtake Earth and SG-1 were forced to find refuge on a different planet? What if for their last mission, Sam was captured and Daniel had to rescue her?
1. Chapter 1

Life Goes On

I'd like to thank my friends, and fans, who were patient with me. Even so Stargate SG-1 has ended, I know their adventures never do. I hope you enjoy this AU of SG-1.

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><p>It was another day, another world, far from the one he had left, far from the people he left behind. They left behind a dying world that had fallen into the hands of the Ori after their attempts to remain religiously free, failed. Peace, at any cost, was more important. Putting an end to war <em>and<em> gaining the potential for mystical powers? Most of the human race was waiting with open arms when the Priors visited.

The team, and a lot of others who banded as a loose group of 'resistant fighters,' fled through the Stargate. Moving from gate to gate, they both tried to find a place free from the Ori and to convert those enslaved. Some of their fighters had fallen, others taken as examples of 'false teachers' and others choose to settle down where they were welcomed and start anew. But there were always the few who kept going, hoping to find a better place.

It had taken many months to finally find a place both free of the Ori and willing to take in new strangers. Upon exploring the ruins and libraries, Daniel had learned it was one of the few protected planets the Asguard still had. It was that excitement that fueled his explorations beyond the walls of the advanced city. Cameron had joked it looked like a small New York, with three moons.

It became a base for the small remaining group of Earthlings as they continued to do what they did best: explore. And sometimes get into trouble.

It was one of those times of trouble that made Daniel step back from exploring, step back from living, as his friends commented. It had only been a second, he recounted. A slip of her hand, his fingers untwining from hers, her long fingers tickling his palm as it faded from his grip. In his dreams she is silently screaming. In reality it had sounded like a bomb went off around him.

And so it was another day, another world, far from the one he had left, far from the people he left behind. He sat alone in his home, a gift from the Plantanions, when the Earthlings had settled down. It was four houses from where Cam and Vala were living. A block from Jack. Next door, was the now vacant home of one Sam Carter. Teal'c had gone on another mission with Jack, and he was alternating between homes.

A knock sounded through the house, and Daniel vaguely looked in its direction, down the hall from the kitchen. As another knock came, he went back to staring down his coffee mug. It taunted him, begged him to drink his third cup. Next to it sat an untouched waffle, something that he made while he was on autopilot earlier in the morning. He heard two birds chirp outside, and a dog barking in the distance… almost like Earth.

Except here there were three moons.

Sam had always loved to lounge on his back deck they'd built and stare at the moons, making up stories of aliens, wars, and a group of warriors who wished to save it all. Stories of them. In their former glory, Daniel thought bitterly.

"I see you," Cam's voice broke into Daniel's silent, moping world. He knocked on the window on the back door. "Common Daniel, that coffee is getting cold. I think coffee is best with friends."

With mug in hand, Daniel simply got up and walked to the window, looking at Cameron with a stony face. He stopped at the window, and looked at the man who had led them on resistance missions on many planets. Cam knew when to defer to Sam's intellect and experience, but he had led the majority of missions. He had lead the last mission Daniel had been on. The last mission Sam had been on.

"Hey buddy," Cam said, looking back at Daniel with concern.

Daniel simply placed the mug on the counter, and pulled the blinds shut, blocking Cam out from his view. He didn't have the energy to deal with the younger man. He wanted to stay in his cocoon of sadness and self-pity. Sam was his best friend. Sam was his confidant. She was the one he went to when he had needed to bounce ideas off of someone who could keep up. She was the one whom he would seek out if he had an extra cup of coffee left. And she did the same. The escape from Earth had once more bonded them closer.

Ignored Cam's pounding and rattling of the handle, Daniel turned back to the living room. Maybe that place would be quiet. As he sat in the room, staring at the closed curtains, they rustled and Daniel gave a half smile as he called Sam's cat, Schrödinger the Second, over. The orange tabby gave a small meow and turned into a gray tabby, as it came closer to him.

"For a planet that feels like Earth, it sure has odd creatures," he said petting the cat. The fur went through a bright hue of pink and yellow before it settled into a radiating orange.

As he pet Schrödinger, Daniel's mind started to go back to the day he had brought the cat to his house. Biting his lip he sank deeper into the plush couch. Finally, the emotions subsided and he got up. Schrödinger protested and followed as Daniel lifted a key from the wall and unlocked the basement door.

Clicking on the light, he descended into what had been the 'War Room' before he had left the team. Maps, star charts, Stargate symbols, surveillance photos and some gear lined the walls. Carefully he took out the document he needed from its slot in the wall and spread it out on the large table. He switched on the overhead lamp and the green peppered schematic map sparkled. It reminded him of the ink used on the US dollar bills.

Taking out a pen, he continued to map out his next, and possibly last, mission.

The mission the others had seemingly abandoned.

The mission to bring Sam Carter home.


	2. Chapter 2

_Her fingers danced in the air as they flowed over the board, bringing the mathematical numbers to life. She carefully explained how they'd have only a 30-minute window to get in and get out. Otherwise the new technology they had developed would wear off, and any Ori in the area would detect them._

_No questions were asked. Everyone knew his or her role. Daniel as the contact, Cam as the back-up trader, Sam as the engineer and time watcher, Teal'c as the muscles, and Vala, well she was to keep Jack on point as they did recon for one of the locals who had explored the planet and had sent an SOS back._

_Mission: Search and Rescue._

_Search: For advance knowledge of Earth, local planets, and upcoming Ori missions. The team, along with many others, discovered the Ori were getting sloppy now that they thought they had the resistance quelled._

_Rescue: The soldier who had risked his life to test out new anti-Prior and anti-Ori defense._

_Get in. Get out._

_Simple._

_Thirty minutes, and they were out. Thirty minutes and they'd be compromised. Thirty minutes…_

_So much had happened._

Daniel woke up with a start, his pen skirting across the pad. Another dream. He cursed softly. Maybe he should go into the city and get some fresh air. Maybe he should go over to Cam's house and apologize for his behavior. He didn't see it as excessive, but deep down he could hear Sam telling him he wasn't in the right. With that singular thought, Daniel pushed back from the table and placed the pen down.

He spotted the cat crawling off the lower book self and stretching himself. Daniel nodded toward the stairs. "Let's go get some food and maybe a shower. Who knows, I may let you out to go hunting today."

Schrödinger made a small meow and rubbed against him. Switching off the overhead light, Daniel locked the basement door once more. Moving into the kitchen, the waffle that he had made the previous day still sat on the plate, lonely and looking unappetizing now. He threw it into Schrödinger's bowl and mindlessly watched him crunch away at the foreign substance.

Finding a bowl, and sniffing the milk, or this planet's version of milk, Daniel searched for a pack of cereal. Finally, he found the box of wheat oats and settled in, trying to eat something. He chased the oats around with his spoon, not sure what he wanted to do with this new day ahead of him.

A normal day would be Sam "breaking" into his house and already have a cup of coffee waiting, with some new breakfast item she had discovered she could cook on a plate, or that was ready to be served. Then they would spend a few hours talking about strategies, comparing notes on past missions and combining the tactical methods with their individual expertise. The team might swing by for a pow-wow disguised as lunch, and would usually leave when the "science nerds," as Jack had started to playfully call the pair, started techno-babbling, or finishing each other's sentences before they began talking.

Daniel had enjoyed the change that had happened in their relationship. It had come back to where it was many years ago. They had always had a special bond, but the level of communication had gone back up. Science had once more come back to their interactions and Daniel had even commented he felt like he was an explorer once more. For so long he had trained himself to stand along side the military personnel and he had forgotten the academic "geek" that still resided within him.

Daniel finished his cereal and placed the bowl in the sink. Staring out the small window he once more tried to think of what he wanted to do. Sighing, he let Schrödinger out, and went back upstairs to take a shower and prepare to go into town. He'd been in the same four walls too long.

After thirty minutes, he arrived at the bus stop and sat in the shade. Once more he couldn't help but marvel at how this planet looked and felt so much like Earth. Transportation was on the level that could be found in London, New York or any modern city. It had been the topic of discussion when they had first moved to their new home; how could a place on the, literally, far reaches of the galaxy look and function so much like Earth? After a bit of digging, Daniel concluded it had to be because the Asguard had been watching Earth evolve and had set up the Plantanions as their own mini-Earth. Somehow that was both creepy yet also pleased the small group of actual Earthlings.

The bus arrived and he boarded, looking around the few people on the transport to make sure no one he knew was there. He really couldn't deal with another "how are you?" or "things will be better," from his teammates. He wasn't fine, and no, things will not be better, because none of them were doing a damn thing. Daniel pushed his fingers through his growing hair; he could feel his temper reach the end of his fuse.

The ride into the inner city, or where ever he wanted to go, was a long one, so Daniel sat at the window and watched as the neighborhood went past and merged into tree-lined streets, past open parks and back into dense living spaces. He watched the shops go by and the people who walked the streets. He imagined he was back on Earth and on his way to the library in Chicago. He thought of those days often. He also thought a lot about the lecture that had been both his greatest failure, and the launching pad to his greatest accomplishment. He owed a lot to Catherine Langford.

Finally the bus terminated at a stop and he filed out after the dozen more people who were now on the bus. He swiped his card to go to the sky transit, an in-the-air version of subways, or the Underground, as Jack liked to say. Not sure where he was going, and really not caring because he really had no destination in mind, Daniel slid into one of the cars as it was closing the doors. The car was full and he stood, looking around at the people.

They had not only found friendly people and allies in the Plantanions, but a race that felt like theirs. Jack had often commented how he felt he was back on Earth and walking among those of Earth and not some planet so many ways removed from their home world. Daniel had mused more than once that perhaps this was how Teal'c had felt when he first came to Earth; a race of peoples like his, only free and with some different views. Jack had always quipped that he was glad the Plantanions didn't have pouches in their stomachs.

After three stops, Daniel took a free seat and studied the map on the wall of the train. Maybe he'd get off at the Plantan-Trans-Parlament, the seat of the government, and home to several well developed science labs, museums and the location of the historic documents of this region of space. Daniel merely looked at the map, willing it to give him an answer, a destination, something to do to pass the day. Anything but to have to think.

Because, Daniel discovered, the more he thought, the angrier he got at Cam, at Vala, at everyone who was on the mission, but mostly himself. He had grown to hate himself. Hate what he did, or didn't do. No matter if there wasn't anything he could do, as Cam had told him over and over the days after the mission. Daniel couldn't help but think he could have done a better job protecting Sam.

He should have been the one to disappear.


	3. Chapter 3

Daniel let his fingers fly over the familiar paper. Just the feel of _paper_ grounded him. He smiled as he thought of the many conversations Sam and he had had about things that reminded them of Earth. Subtle things like paper, the elements table, and coffee made them feel like their life on the run had meant something. That their life on Earth had existed and was what gave them the strength to continue the fight.

"Dr. Jackson?" a voice said behind him.

Daniel put on his glasses and turned around, facing the young librarian. "Yes?"

"A note came for you," she said, handing him an envelope.

"Thanks," he said, absentmindedly looking over the envelope. He slid a finger under the flap and pulled out the white notebook paper stuffed inside. He paused for a second when he thought he caught the smell of Sam's perfume. Undoing the note, he saw it was the same coordinates that Sam had given for their last mission. Looking at it he was almost positive this was the same that she had given him when they had come to the library to research.

Daniel turned around, half standing out of his seat, trying to find the young librarian. He looked over the low selves but couldn't find her. Sitting once more, he studied the paper. It gave him nothing more than what he already had, but something told him this would help in his quest to find Sam.

Closing the books, and tucking the note safely in his pocket, he left the building and walked the few blocks to the next station. The fresh air did nothing for his mind; it still raced and tried to search for the meaning behind the note. As he waited for the next train, Daniel un-tucked the note and once more looked at it. It looked like the same piece of paper Sam had passed around to everyone on the mission and had placed in the locker that they held all their mission outlines. Hell, had he not just looked and touched that note last night?

For the first time in a long time, Daniel wished time would speed up and he could get home, to his basement, to the last place he knew Sam had been safe. He ran from the train to the bus, and impatiently looked out the window on the way back to his house. Was this a note from Sam? Was this a sign that his planning had ended and now was the time to put it into action? The note told him nothing new, nothing to suggest she was trying to tell him something, but why else would he receive the note?

For the first time, a sense of urgency and unknown propelled him back to his house, lifted the key and headed down to the basement. Turning on the light, pulling all the maps toward him, Daniel searched the papers for the note he had been reading last night. Finding it tucked into a binder, he hesitantly pulled the note toward him. Taking out the note from the library, he held them up, comparing.

For a moment the memories of Sam slipping from his hands replayed, speeding up and making him sit down on the chair from the rush of emotions. Tears came to his eyes and he leaned forward, resting his head in his hands.

"I'm coming, Sam. I'm coming."


	4. Chapter 4

Daniel woke refreshed for the first time in months. Scrubbing at the beard he had let grow, and Sam had even said it wasn't half bad if he kept it nicely, he looked at himself in the mirror. Of course the past few months of her gone had knocked any will power to trim it and so it had grown, reminding him of the year before his parents died and on the dig his father had grown out his beard and hair. Scratching it once more, he picked up the clippers and started trimmed it. He wanted a new start and something that signified how important this mission was.

Fifteen minutes his beard was reduced to fuzz, and with a razor, he soon had a clean-shaven face like he once had. Of course, his hair now seemed out of place, and he once more picked up the scissors and trimmed his hair shorter. Running his fingers over his now cleaned up appearance, he hopped into the shower and scrubbed himself, mentally going over what he needed to do, and how to bring Sam back.

An hour later and he was dressed, in the normal black uniform they had adapted for their missions to the Ori missions. They had found it was easier to blend in, and slip between the cracks in their defenses. Night infiltrations were the easiest to execute.

Sitting in his kitchen, he wrote notes to the rest of the team, explaining a bit of what was running through his mind over the past two months since the last mission. Daniel was sure only Jack would read his before racing after him; he'd grown to understand the rules as he'd moved up the ladder. Of course, Daniel was sure, he'd also be the last one to read the letter. Jack O'Neill may not have commanded the SGC for a few years, but SG-1, or what was left of 'his team,' was very close to his heart.

Finally, he walked out to the front door, with his gear packed into an old Air Force rack bag. He had called in a favor with the Planaterian's military and was able to get a military transport to the Stargate. Wordlessly he got into the transport and closed his eyes as they pulled away from the neighborhood and went to the military base.

"Dr. Jackson?"

Daniel opened his eyes and saw they were already in the holding bay, next to the 'gate. "Thank you General," he said, stepping out of the vehicle. He smiled at the red-haired General. "You can contact Colonel Mitchell if I am not back in 72 hours."

She smiled at him. "Don't worry, Dr. Jackson. You have done so much for our people to understand their place in the universe, this rescue mission is the least I can do. I am assigning two other men, Sergeants Blanc and Foster, to escort you during this rescue. And no, you can't turn them down."

Daniel gave a soft chuckle. "They will be much appreciated. How soon can we go?"

"We are ready to dial as we speak," the General said.

Nodding, Daniel thanked her and followed the line of officers into the next room where their 'gate stood. They were two soldiers who had gone on missions with SG-1 before, and as Daniel listened to the familiar rush of the dialing protocol, he nodded at each man, silently thanking them for their support.

"Connection established. Sending in EYE now," a tech said. The EYE acted like the MALP, only it was a round sphere which, Daniel had to silently admit, looked like an actual eye. It went through the wormhole, and in 30 seconds would record the surroundings and condition of the 'gate, taking care of any awaiting interference, and let the Planaterians know they could go through the 'gate.

"We have a clear."

"Well," Daniel said, turning to the two soldiers, "Operation Geek Retrieval is a go."

"Yes sir!" they said, as they walked side by side behind Daniel, weapons at the ready, and minds firmly on the task ahead. Daniel closed his eyes as they stepped through the wormhole, feeling himself finally at peace.

The rush of being pulled apart and thrust through space was much more bumpier then it had been on Earth. Sam had commented many times it reminded her of her first trip through the 'gate, of course Jack would quip about the lack of coldness. Daniel had to smile; the Planaterians didn't know any different way to travel.

Finally stepping on the other side, back on the Ori occupied, or as Vala had started to say, infested, planet, Daniel and his small army of two quickly activated their personal shields and cloaking devices. Picking the EYE up and putting it in his vest pouch, Daniel quickly started down the same path they had taken several months prior. Like many planets, the Ori had cleared the land around the Stargate, making it visible. But as the team kept walking, they soon found shade in the garden forest that surrounded a castle like fortress the Ori had taken up as their base of operation.

The intel they had gathered prior to the last mission had told them that this planet was the Ori's equivalent to a "Milky Way Galaxy headquarters", although Daniel and Vala had both commented that it had a less serene quality to it unlike the one they had visited many years before. Daniel paused now as they approached the wide entrance to the compound.

"Ventito itaque cedo laus**," Daniel muttered, reading off the eloquently scrolled words. "Nice way to invite people in for daily prostration."

The two soldiers looked up at the words Daniel was talking about and than at the clearing. Marble slabs decorated the place where, for hours at a time, devoted Priors and followers would gather and listen to the reading of Origin. They would also put heretics on display, from planets where small pockets of resistant fighters still existed. The last

time Daniel had discovered that the talk of the village was about several men who had just been asked to convert, but had died for their beliefs.

"Doctor Jackson," one of the men asked, shuffling closer to Daniel. "We seem to have caught them as they started their services." Nodding behind him slightly Daniel turned to watch as several Priors lead a band of villagers to daily prayer.

"Let's move," Daniel said, quietly ducking in front of the group, once more marveling how well the cloaking devices the Plantetrians, with a bit of engineering help from the Earthlings, made were. Sam always said a lot of the doctors they knew would have wanted to take a few days to back-engineer them. "We have to wait for them to open the sanctum doors, but we shouldn't have to wait long."

Standing by said door, the team waited, eyeing the building crowd as villagers came, looking eager and excited to be taught more from the religion they had condemned themselves too. Finally, after the patio was full, the sanctum doors swung wide, and as the three priors and a Doci filed out, Daniel and his two soldiers ducked in, and ran along the corridor to the stairs that would lead them to the dungeons. Daniel paused twice to orient himself with the expansive open hall and to recall the blue prints he had been pouring over for the past two months. One wrong move and he wouldn't be rescuing anyone.

Passing two villagers who looked like they were happily serving their gods, Daniel once more regretted that he couldn't save everyone. Wiping his hands down the front of his pants, he picked up his weapon and rounded the corner to descend to where the prisoners of the Ori were kept. With every step Daniel prayed there weren't any other prisoners and Sam would be easy to find.

Finally, the end of the stairs gave way to a long hall, flickering with the light of four torches. Daniel was now relying on previous missions and the sketchy details Teal'c, Vala and Jack had told him about the rescue. He eyed the corridor and motioned for one of the men to go on the opposite wall, covering all areas like Jack or Cam would have done. Daniel had always wondered what leading an op would feel like, now all he could think of was how cozy his home was back on the planet. Edging their way further, they cautiously peered around openings and did quick sweeps of the open rooms, rigged for torture, no doubt, as they passed them. At the end of the corridor there was another door, standing open, inviting them in.

Daniel looked at the young man who was following him and than to the man across from him. Nodding, they slid into the room and swept the room, looking down their weapons as they made a wide circle.

"Clear."

"Clear."

"Clear," Daniel responded, lowering his weapon a notch. "Any signs of life?"

"Not visible," Blanc said. He took out a small device and clicked a few knobs. "It will be tricky to get a lock on Colonel Carter, but I think I can locate her signal at least."

Daniel nodded, moving around the open circular room. He watched Blanc and Foster each calibrate their life sign devices deciding here was as good as any to take a moment's rest and set his next phase into action. There was, he admitted, not much he could do until they found Sam's locater. Providing it was still working, which would mean at the very least she was still alive, even if barely.

He shook his head; that kind of thinking would not serve her well. Daniel had to keep her survival, and his teams, in the forefront of his mind. There were little distinguishing marks on the walls of the room, but as Daniel passed his flashlight over the floor, he could see worn patterns in the stone. He imagined that there had been many prayer services held in this room for the prisoners, perhaps longer and more intense with the interest to convert those who were weak.

"We have a few signals," Foster said, come closer to Daniel. He tilted his device so Daniel could see the cluster of signals. "They look like they are close by."

Daniel nodded, not letting the excitement of those words seep in. "Well, we are not there yet," he said finally. "Any certain direction we should be heading?"

"East of here. I think down this corridor," Foster said, comparing the scan to where he stood. "There are several devices being picked up, do you think there are more of your people here?"

"If there are, let's hope that they know how to point a gun and are able bodied." Once more Daniel lead the small team of three, down the hall, this time with a little more than a feeling to guide them.

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><p>**Latin: Come and give worship (Author's Note: I hope this is the right translation, if not, please forgive my sloppy Latin)<p>

Ventito (to come often/to visit frequently)

Itaque (adv. and, so, therefore)

Cedo (grant/yield)

Laus (praise, glory, fame)


	5. Chapter 5

"Stop," Daniel hissed, crouching down. He held his hand up, listening once more trying to search out the sound that had caught his ear. Very faintly he could hear water drip but that wasn't what had made him pause.

Inching closer to the corner, Daniel leaned forward, hoping that he wouldn't see two things: Priors or that he was entering the same room after walking around for 2 hours. Holding his breath, he closed his eyes, and eased back to his team. Motioning them further back down the narrow hall they had traveled, he whispered his report.

"Priors. About five of them. They are just standing in a circle, so I don't know what that means."

"Weren't you a Prior at one point, Doctor?" Blanc said.

"Yes, thank you for bring that up. However, not helpful in this situation." Daniel bit his lip, trying to think. "Our injections maybe wearing off, and they could be sensing us."

Foster shook his head. "No, Doctor, the ones we took were three concentrated doses, so it will last us the full 72 hours you wanted before anyone else was alerted."

"Maybe we are getting closer to where they are keeping the prisoners."

Foster took out the tracking device once more and nodded. "The life signs are a lot closer to ours," he said pointing to the small cluster of bright red dots, which were them, and to the cluster of blue dots, which they all hoped lead to where Sam was.

"That's a start," Daniel said, studying the screen. "However, we still have to get over the Priors out there."

"Shoot our way through?"

Daniel had a flash back of Cam when he encountered his first Prior when they first began to run. "No. We need to know what they are doing." Pausing he tried to channel Sam's creative ingenuities. "Can we use the EYE?"

"To spy on them?" Foster said already examining the device that Daniel had taken out. "I think Blanc can do it. He was trained as a Computer Mechanic before becoming a soldier."

"They like to point out I was a geek," Blanc grumbled.

"I know the feeling. Let's see what we can do here."


	6. Chapter 6

Daniel stepped back into the corridor and fixed his sights on two Priors as Foster and Blanc did the same on the remaining three Priors. The Priors stood in the middle of the room and the three soldiers silently, even so with the anti-Prior injections they could have had a party and the Priors wouldn't have been able to detected them, walked around the edge of the room. Daniel breathed a bit of relief as they came to the other side, and watched as Blanc mounted the EYE to the wall, between the torches and the doorway.

"Ok, all is set," Blanc said, looking at his screen. "When we come down this way again, we should be able to see if there is anything in our way."

Daniel nodded solemnly. He didn't have to tell them what would happen if their 72-hour window closed before they got out. Daniel assumed that they signed up knowing the risks. "Let's continue," Daniel muttered. He glanced back to the life signs device. The dots were closer.

Daniel watched as they walked, trying not to let the small leaps of hope override his senses. The dots were now almost on top of them, yet they hadn't reached any big room to explain why the dots were close.

"Doctor," Blanc said, looking over Daniel's shoulder. "Do you think they are on another hall?"

"Perhaps, but I didn't see any alternative routes, did you?" Blanc shook his head and turned his light toward the walls. Fire light only touched so many dark corners.

Daniel was only half watching as Blanc and Foster were sweeping the walls when he caught a bit of hieroglyphic looking writing. "Wait, go back." The two soldiers swept back toward the place where Daniel thought he saw the writing. "Here," he said, softly caressing the chiseled writing.

Moving Foster's light so it shown from under the etching, Daniel silently let his fingers linger. "I think this is a false door," he breathed. "It says that the rebels will find nothing beyond the passage – I think this corridor is the 'passage' – but redemption is beyond the portal." He glanced at the two soldiers. "Shall we?"


	7. Chapter 7

Foster was the first one to come to the open cells. Daniel reached out his arm and snagged the man's shoulder, dragging him back into the shadows before he went into the middle of the courtyard which half a dozen cells faced. "Eyes ready."

The three of them slid slowly out into the open, each with their weapons trained on the cells. They made it around the courtyard and were perplexed. "Where are the prisoners?"

Daniel bit his lip and looked back at the false door they had entered by. "I don't know." There were two other corridors filtering off the main room, and Daniel was sure they each brought them to more cells.

"I'm still seeing the life signs as near us," Blanc said. Daniel had almost forgot the device in his sudden sinking thoughts.

"Ok, so we go down one and see if the life signs are still near us. And if we don't find Doctor Carter, we will just go back and try the other one." He suggested they take a few minutes to recoup; they took out their canteens and power bars for a small meal break.

Finally, they began trekking down one of the corridors, lighting the small wall torch lamps as they went by. Not only did this cast light around them, it also was a breadcrumb trail of sorts; it brought comfort to Daniel. As they continued to walk deeper down the darkness, they came across stairs downward, and had to be careful as walked down, the sound of dripping water was heard and was covering the stone walkway, making parts of it slippery.

Blanc was the first to reach he bottom of the stairs. He turned back toward Daniel and smiled. "We found them, Doctor."

Daniel breathed a sigh as he took in the four caged fronts of four prisons. There were only two prisoners in each, easy to see into them. Daniel peered into the darkness of one cell and could make out the shadow of a pair of boots. Switching on his light he carefully aimed it at the shadows.

"Sam," he breathed as the light found its target and revealed the military issue black combat boots which every team of soldier wore. Tentatively he moved the light around the cell, until he found a cot, laying on its side. Squinting, he tried to make out if anything – anyone – was behind the cot.

"Foster, can you come here with the key?" Daniel said, still trying to peer into the shadows. On many rescue missions they had discovered a skeleton key of sorts, which opened any of the Ori cells. It had saved time and many prisoners when they needed to get back to the 'gate quickly.

Foster fit the key into the antique padlock, so rusted Daniel was sure one well-placed kick would have dislodged it. Of course, if this was really Sam's cell, wouldn't she have tried that? The lock clicked and slid off, letting Daniel and Foster enter the dark cell. Blanc stood outside, gun trained on the other cells.

The flashlights lit the cell up like a well-placed lamp. The boots were military issue, and as Daniel stooped down to look at them, he heard a noise behind him. Looking up at Foster, he slowly shifted his weight so he could turn around.

The blue eyes shone even against the dirt-streaked face. Hair and clothes was also dirty and disheveled, if Daniel didn't know that there wasn't another person in the cell, he would have thought she was a victim of a prison attack.

"Sam?" he croaked. Slowly rising he held out his hands and took a small step. He didn't know what the Ori had done to her. Other rescued prisoners and soldiers often told of how they were treated in the hopes they converted, but wouldn't go into details. The last thing he wanted was to break her fragile state.

"Daniel?" she answered licking her lips several times.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Daniel handed her his canteen of water, and watched with a pained expression as she sucked down the liquid. "I have an energy bar, if you want that." He offered her one, and she tore the wrapping off, shoving part of it into her mouth as she tried to slow her chewing. Daniel felt tears well up as he watched her shaking fingers break off another piece of the bar.

"Thank you," she said, looking at Daniel. Crossing the small void between the two friends, Sam clung to Daniel and whispered "thank you" over and over as she threaded her fingers into his shortened hair.


	8. Chapter 8

Sam's feet were blistered, making walking painful, but as she tied the boots back on, Daniel was sure she was digging deep into her military training and was sucking it up.

Daniel squatted next to her. "If you need a few moments before we leave to take care of your feet –"

"No. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I am home, and there I can get better help," Sam said, cutting him off. He thought there was an edge of fear in her voice as she peered out into the corridor. "Is there any way we can get these others out?"

Daniel looked at Foster; they only brought enough of the Anti-Prior serum for Sam. Foster for his part shook his head sadly. "We only have enough medicine for you, ma'am."

Sam's face fell. She stood up and took two steps out of her cell, looking around. "Let's at least open the cells. If they make it out, than…"

Daniel slipped his arm around her waist as she took a shaky breath. "That is an excellent idea. Foster, I need the medicine; you and Blanc open the rest of the cells. Go a bit further down – weren't there more life signs down the other corridor?"

Shouldering Sam's weight, Daniel depressed the serum into her right arm. They watched as some of the other prisoners began to crawl or walk out of their cells. There were three others who teetered out of their confines and walked like zombies toward the stairs, thanking Daniel as they passed. Sam gave Daniel a tiny smile.

"You never gave up," she stated. He turned and looked back into her blue eyes and nodded.

"Never."

Sam gave him another hug and began to walk toward the stairs also. Foster came back and helped to walk her up the stairs. Together they all left the darkness and emerged back into the light, retracing their steps back toward the gate. It took longer now what they had Sam who, putting her brave face on more than she needed to, still had to stop to rest her feet.

As expected, they passed a few Priors, and of course more of the prisoners than they wished. Since the prisoners could see the four of them, they would reach out begging for help. Daniel struggled to keep his nerves down and to continue to walk forward. Both Foster and Blanc kept their eyes down and kept walking. They each would have to have a few months of therapy if they got out of this without being exposed.

Finally, they got to the foot of the first stairwell, and started walking up. Sam was dragging her feet more than walking on them, and Daniel swung her thinner body into his arms.

"If I knew you could carry me, I would have dragged my feet earlier," Sam said, in a strained voice.

"I'll carry you for the rest of your life if you want," Daniel said, taking the last step.

Sam smiled and leaned her hair on his shoulder, her blonde hair covering her face for a moment. "A woman could get used to this, you know."

Daniel's heart skipped a beat. Not wanting to read too much into the statement, he looked down at her and smiled. "What are friends for?"

Sam tightened her arm around his neck as they walked out of building, back into the courtyard. Now, a day later than when they first entered, it was empty of people. Foster and Blanc still held their guns up and walked cautiously toward the open field.

"Wow, that's a beautiful site," Sam breathed.

Glancing down Daniel gave a small smile. "Yes, yes it is."


	9. Chapter 9

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose as Jack paced the room. "Can you please sit down?" Daniel asked, replacing his glasses and looking toward his friend.

"You were not thinking, Daniel. It could have been worse than before!"

Daniel fought the urge to hit Jack, instead he gave into the weariness that was slowly consuming him. "It wasn't exactly great before."

Jack had the grace to stop pacing and sat in front of him. "I know, Daniel. I've watched you struggle for a while."

"You've been gone most of the time, Jack. How can you see me struggle? Wouldn't it be more likely Cam seeing this?"

"Ya, well," Jack did a small dismissive wave with his hand. "He's been busy. I know he has been worried about you too."

As if on cue, Cam and Vala came in, followed by Sam, on crutches, and Teal'c holding a tray of tea. Schrödinger followed close by also.

"Pounding on my door everyday and hounding me falls into the 'caring' category?" Sam sat beside him and patted his leg gently. He looked down and followed her hand up to her face. "I guess I should of said thank you than."

"Look, buddy, I know it was hard knowing Sam was still on the planet, but you need to think about how I felt. I was the one who lead this mission – one last mission." Daniel heard himself snort, and gazed past the younger man out the picture window. "I guess I could have been more sensitive to how you were feeling."

Vala bit her lip and stepped toward Daniel. "I sent Cam everyday to see how you were doing. I didn't think you wanted to see any of us – me particularly."

Daniel turned his gaze toward her. "Now that you mention it, I am awfully tired." He slipped his hand away from Sam's arm and got up and left them staring after him as he walked up the stairs, hoping his mind would go blank and he wouldn't continue the nightmares. Sam was home after all, what was there to be afraid of?


	10. Chapter 10

_"Daniel, we need to go!" Vala's voice cut through the crowd as she and Jack raced away from the small hut. "Something went wrong. He was dead."_

_Daniel looked at her and turned toward Sam, her brow creased with worry lines. She shook her head as he took a step toward her. "That's not what the intel says."_

"_The intel is wrong, Carter, we need to move out." Jack breathlessly joined them under the hot sun. Glancing back toward the hut he pushed the two scientists toward the open road. "We need to move out _now_."_

_Cameron and Teal'c joined them as they walked quickly back toward the road that went past the Stargate. The five of them ducked through a side street, hoping to outsmart the Ori who were pursuing. _

"_Not fast enough," Vala said, as she pushed into Sam. Daniel glanced backwards and took Sam's hand, propelling her faster down the road._

"_Any plans?" Cam asked, as they now broke free from the village and were in the open. His head bounced around looking at Teal'c and Jack. He pulled out his weapon, a modified P-90, and turned around to shoot at anyone who was following._

"_Cam! You are not staying!" Vala screamed as she grabbed one of his arms. _

_Daniel reached into his pocket, past the local garb, and pulled out a small pinpad, their new home's version of the DHD. His fingers flew over the pad, hoping they were going to reach the gate before the pursuing Ori got them._

"_Daniel!"_

_He glanced over to Sam as she gave him a startled look. He gave her a quick once over and saw the blooming red patch on her right shoulder. Jack ran past them, Teal'c tugged at his tunic, Vala crashed into Daniel as she ran sideways. Daniel's fingers lost their hold on Sam as Vala's weight pushed him forward, into the ground. With the wind knocked out of him, he wasn't as quick to get up and go back to get Sam._

_With Vala seeming to slowly crawl off of him, with Cam's help, Daniel's eyes locked onto Sam, who was now reaching out to him. _

_Their fingertips brushed and the moment became painfully clear and sharp. _

_His ears burned as Sam yelled._

_His body was being pulled away from her, as she was being surrounded by the Ori._

_Sam's face became calm, even as the Ori crowded around her. Daniel strained his voice calling as he was dragged through the wormhole, watching her lips moving._

"_I love you."_


	11. Chapter 11

Daniel padded down the stairs in his boxers. Wiping his hand over his face he tried to clear his mind; the same dream had haunted him, yet he refused to get up. He was tired, he needed sleep, he needed his mind to shut down. Finally at 3am, he had taken two aspirin and sleeping aids and had slept until 8am.

Moving into the kitchen he was still on autopilot, so his mind didn't register that someone was in the room with him until he turned around.

"Oh."

"Morning."

"Yea," Daniel said, blinking twice. "How did?"

She held up her key. "It was hanging where I left it."

Daniel smiled slowly, turning back toward the coffee. Freshly brewed. "Imagine that," he said, turning around and walking to the table.

"Some things never change. Like," Sam paused as she stirred her coffee, "you watching out for me."

Daniel put his coffee down and got back up. Sam looked at him perplexed as he held out his hand. "I want to show you something."

The feeling of her hand in his propelled him toward the basement door. Once more falling into the a rhythm of his morning routine, even Schrödinger came trotting behind him, ready to descend into the basement.

Flipping on the light, he stopped in front of his makeshift war room table. "This is where I planned my operation."

Sam put a hand on his arm as she leaned toward him. "It rivals anything Jack ever had us standing around."

Daniel nodded slightly. "I spent many hours down here, thinking of ways to get you back. I tried asking the others in the beginning but they never wanted to help – or maybe I was too focused. But I went to the library and I found this." He handed her the scrap of paper from the library, the same scrap of paper that she had originally gave to whole team.

"But this is…" Sam started, looking at the piece of paper. Daniel picked up his original slip and handed it too her also. "And this?"

Daniel nodded his head. "I know it's impossible, but they look like they are the same." Taking them from her he turned to face her. "This is how I knew it was time to stop planning and to start acting." Turning her hands within his, he looked into her eyes. "And that you are home, is how I also know I need to stop hoping, and start believing. Believing," he took a deep breath and continued, " believing you love me too."

Sam's eyes widened. "Daniel? You, you love me?"

He nodded, hoping his mind and heart were telling him he was right, and not devastatingly wrong. "Life goes on – that's what Cam would always tell me in the beginning when I brought up the idea you were not dead. Everything told us you had to be, the last mission proved that facts lie. But I knew I didn't want to go on, pretending to heal, be ok, move on, be alright never doing another mission. I couldn't let the Plantanions just go on, fighting our fight. I could let life go on. Not without you."

As Daniel had talked they both had moved back toward the stairs, sitting on warn, wooden boards. Sam had fidgeted with her hands, and had started playing with her sleeve. Daniel lifted her chin after a few moments; afraid her silence meant he had read all their time, conversations, looks and small touches wrong.

He bit his lip as he saw large tears making their way slowly down her cheek. He could count on his hands the times he saw her cry. "Oh Sam."

Cradling her against his side, Daniel wrapped his arms around her now shaking body. He ran his hands up and down her back, letting himself drift to sleep.

Daniel woke up on the bottom step, alone. He squinted into the semi-darkness and tried to remember if he fell or how he got down in the basement. Quick steps descending down, made him glance up and he saw Sam smiling down at him. She sat on the step beside him.

"I bet you are hungry," she said.

"I could eat," Daniel replied, sitting up. Groaning he added, "and a full body massage."

Slowly he stood and together they climbed up the stairs. "I would have gotten you at least to the couch, but you are heavy. Well, at one point I could have carried you back to my house if I needed to."

Daniel smiled as he took in her light frame. "It's ok, I sleep almost anywhere these days. It's so fleeting, I enjoy the rest."

Sitting down at in the kitchen, Daniel eyed the spread of food before him; she must have gone shopping. Surely he didn't have this much food in his cupboards. "Cam and Jack stopped by and brought some food. I just brought it over here."

"Smells great. I am thinking it was Vala's cooking and Jack did take out."

They shared a laugh, and Daniel slipped momentarily back into his easy going self. Half way through the meal, Sam slid her hand over to his and laid it gently over his.

"We need to talk."

Daniel put the soupspoon down and nodded slowly. He opened his mouth to talk but stopped when Sam held up her hand. "You said your peace, Daniel; I know where you are coming from. You don't need to win me over; I was won a long time ago."

Daniel sat back, watching how the sun danced off her too thin face. "While I was in… prison, I had a lot of time to think. I had time to sort out what mattered. I came to the conclusion that what I _thought_ didn't matter; it was what I _did_ that does. I thought my life was ok: I have a home, friends, a career – even if it's not the same as it once was. I was happy. I thought I was happy. But I wasn't _whole_, I didn't feel I could be me without something else.

"I started missing our morning, well really our days, spent together. I don't think we solve anything, it's the mere fact we spend time talking, or not talking that makes the time special. Those times made me feel special, as if I had my very best friend back. At the end of every visit I always felt I had accomplished a great task, but what did we really do? Drink copious amounts of coffee and pick each other's brains on whatever topic came to mind, or mull over the latest Plantanions development. I felt whole, I felt, well, at home." Sam paused and picked up a fork and played with it, letting the comfortable silence roll around them. "I thought about you a lot. About how I looked forward to the next day, only because I knew you were there with me."

Daniel gently lifted the fork out of her hand and leaned across the table. "That's my favorite part too."

Sam looked up and whispered, "I love you, Daniel."


End file.
